Light emitting diode (LED) based lighting systems may offer several energy and reliability advantages over other types of lighting systems such as, for example, incandescent or fluorescent lighting. Thus, LED based lighting systems are increasingly being used to replace other existing lighting technologies. Although LED based lighting systems offer numerous advantages and benefits, there are still some challenges that may be faced when using this technology. For example, LED light bulbs have an unconventional appearance that is markedly different from that of an incandescent light bulb. This is because the LED chips that emit illumination are typically positioned in a horizontal orientation upon a base portion disposed within the dome of the LED light bulb. In contrast, an incandescent light bulb includes a wire filament that is suspended within the dome of the bulb and heated to glow with visible light.
Some consumers prefer the appearance of a typical incandescent light bulb when compared to an LED light bulb. Accordingly, LED filament light bulbs that mimic the appearance of an incandescent light bulb have been introduced to address this need. An LED filament light bulb includes one or more strings of LEDs that resemble a filament. Although clear filament light bulbs are popular from an aesthetic perspective, design issues may be encountered when integrating intelligent control components such as, for example, a driver board and an antenna within such bulbs. Specifically, the components that provide intelligent control are frequently located within the base of the light bulb. Since an LED filament light bulb generally includes an open base, the components may be visible to a user. In one approach to hide the components from view, an opaque dome is provided to conceal the control board and other components used for intelligent LED light bulbs. However, the opacity of the dome negates the aesthetic character sought by consumers who purchase clear filament light bulbs. Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the art for improvements that address the above-mentioned issues that conventional LED filament light bulbs may encounter.